Monrovia, Liberia – Prominent Liberian lawyer Cllr. Arthur T. Johnson has cautioned against the politicisation of Liberia’s fight against illicit drugs, arguing that drug trafficking is a transnational organised crime that cannot be effectively addressed through partisan politics.
Speaking through the Crime and Justice Forum, Cllr. Johnson said drug cartels operate across national borders and possess vast financial and logistical resources, making them a global security challenge rather than a problem attributable to any single government.
According to him, many developing countries, including Liberia, do not have the institutional capacity to independently confront sophisticated international drug networks.
“Drug cartels and transnational crimes are not limited to one nation or government alone. Stop politicising these drug issues. From a criminological perspective, third-world countries, including Liberia, lack the full capacity to combat drugs. It is an organised crime that is older and richer than many nations. A national focus with an apolitical approach is the only way to fight this organised crime,” Cllr. Johnson stated.
He stressed that Liberia’s response to the growing drug menace should be driven by national unity, strengthened institutions, international cooperation, and evidence-based law enforcement rather than political point-scoring.
His comments come amid heightened public debate over recent major drug seizures and the country’s ongoing efforts to combat narcotics trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime.
